The Great Escape
by AkaneKitty
Summary: An impromptu meeting with Megakat City's new ADA makes Felina Xiao Ling's lunch date. Chapter 4 is finally up!
1. Survivor's Guilt

Hello everyone! New story time! This is called The Great Escape

With his relationship with T-Bone at a crisis point, Razor finds an unexpected friend in his rival Gabriel. Meanwhile, a seemingly simple investigation places Felina in a dangerous situation...as well as fighting conflicting feelings.

Author's notes: The third story in the Razor/Felina saga! I hope everone has enjoyed the ride.

Syndicate Boss Xiao Ling is back in this story. And it's helpful to remember he's the boss and a prominent Mao City katizens. And also remember his interest in Felina...

Thanks to ulyferal for the beta!

As always, I welcome your comments and reviews.

Enjoy!

AkaneKitty

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The Great Escape

Survivor's Guilt

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_Siamesetown District, Megakat City_

Lieutenant Felina Feral stepped out of the backseat of her driven car, glad she wore dark sunglasses. Partially to block out the bright sun, but mostly to hide a ugly darkening bruise just under her left eye. She hadn't been able to fully cover the bruise with makeup.

Trying not to feel sorry for herself, she glanced down at her outfit. She wore a black, fitted dress which stopped a few inches above her knee with small slits cut up the sides. Wanting her arms to be covered, Felina had thrown a black bolero jacket over the top of the dress, wore modest heels and added, a small, black, clutch purse to complete her look. Hopefully the ensemble wasn't too showy for a wake.

_I should have just worn my dress uniform_, Felina mused, then shook her head. _No, I'm on administrative leave due to recent events so it wouldn't be proper to wear it._

However, she did wish she'd something a bit more in keeping with a wake, but neither her uncle or her fellow Enforcers would let her out of their sight. What was worse, she couldn't get away to speak to or see Razor either.

Shaking her head, Felina let her annoyance go and focused on where and what she was doing now. She'd never been to a Siamese wake before and the last thing she needed was to offend Hu's family by being distracted. Hu, the unfortunate victim, was Xiao's personal driver. _Crud, I hope I don't do anything that might be considered offensive either._

A car door slamming behind her broke Felina's train of thought. Her driver, a fresh faced, young sergeant, threw up a brisk salute to her. "I'll be waiting here when you're finished, Lieutenant."

Felina saluted back, feeling a tad silly since she was out of uniform. "Thank you, Sergeant."

Head down, she quickly crossed the street to get to the Siamese Botanical Gardens. Enforcer officers were on hand to keep an inquisitive public and press corps at bay and keep the wake private for the deceased's family. As she crossed the Enforcer controlled perimeter, questions from the press corps were flung her way.

"Lieutenant! Any comment about your harrowing escape?"

"Will the Enforcers work with the Mao City consulate to prevent further kidnappings?"

Ignoring them, Felina breathed a sigh of relief when she finally reached the iron gates of the gardens and walked through. Although she never had the time to visit them, Felina found the Siamese Botanical Gardens beautiful. Signs, with Siamese markings, lined the trail to the main building where the wake was being held. Siamese kittens dressed in somber clothing ran around the garden's grounds, playing with each other.

Pangs of guilt suddenly stabbed at Felina's heart as she realized she didn't know if Hu had kittens. She almost gave into a wave of grief but shook it off immediately.

_Stop it! Pull yourself together! You still need to pay your respects to Hu's widow. Break down later...in private_, she told herself sternly then set her face in the proper expression of public mourning as she walked down the path toward the center and entered the building.

Pulling off her sunglasses and slipping them into her clutch, her nose was immediately assailed by the sharp scent of incense. Staring around, she saw the center's atrium had been transformed into a place suitable for a wake. Funeral wreaths, complete with Siamese writings, surrounded a casket placed in the center of the space. A Siamese tom, who Felina assumed was a monk due to the robes he wore, stood by the casket and chanted something in low tones. There were also a few Siamese kats dressed in black wandering about, talking quietly amongst themselves.

She soon spotted Hu's widow seated in front of the casket, dressed in severe black. She was a petite she-kat and looked understandably frail. Steeling herself and fighting the compulsion to turn around and run, Felina walked over to Mrs. Hu. A Siamese she-kat attending Mrs. Hu spotted Felina first and gently tapped the widow on her shoulder before quietly excusing herself.

As Felina stopped in front of her, Mrs. Hu looked up with red rimmed, blue eyes. Felina took in a deep breath and let it go before saying, "Mrs. Hu, I am Felina Feral." No Lieutenant designate. Her title wasn't important in situations such as this. "I-I'm so sorry for your loss." Her voice shook ever so slightly with nerves. Clutching her purse tightly, Felina steeled herself for any outburst that Mrs. Hu might make. Not blaming her if she did. But, to her surprise, she felt a soft paw grasp hers, forcing her to look up.

"I know who you are Lieutenant." Mrs. Hu's voice, although sounding very tired, was also soft and soothing. "This was not your fault. It lies with Hu's murderers."

"But..."

"How could you have known such a thing would happen? My husband was killed, but you saved his employer Mr. Ling by yourself." Mrs. Hu blinked away tears and released Felina's paw. "So please don't blame yourself."

Before she could respond to that incredibly, understanding remark, movement behind her caused Felina to turn her head in time to see Xiao enter the atrium, his sister Naomi on his arm. Both wore black, with Liam in an obviously expensive suit but Naomi opting for a more modest dress. Accompanying the pair were bodyguards dressed in suits obviously designed to hide their guns. It was apparent Xiao had hired private security following his ordeal. Even though his face showed no trauma she knew he had to be sporting bruises to his torso along with the bullet wound to his right arm.

Felina watched Xiao and Naomi approach the alter close to the monk. She was struck by how the mood in the room changed. It was like a king had walked into a room full of commoners. The way the other Siamese and even Hu's widow changed their demeanor when he entered the room was very intriguing and made the handsome tom sexy. Was this how things were in Mao City?

As Felina fought some residual feelings, Xiao plucked an incense stick from its holder, lit it, and placed it with other burning sticks. Breaking away from Naomi he walked toward Mrs. Hu, so Felina stepped aside. Bowing deeply in front of her, he began speaking softly in Siamese. Fresh tears sprung up in Mrs. Hu's eyes.

"Hu was a great employee. He was considered family to us." Xiao said switching to English, mostly for Felina's benefit, coming out of his bow. "He will be missed."

Ms. Hu dabbed tears from her eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Ling. You honor us with your presence."

"You honor me as well," he murmured quietly to her before turning away to glance over at Felina. His sister had drifted close and now stood behind him. "Do you have a moment?" He asked Felina.

Felina shrugged modestly. "I'm not pressed for time."

"Good." Turning to his sister, he said, "Naomi, will you please go over what we discussed regarding Hu's pay with his wife? I'm going to talk to the Lieutenant outside in the garden." Xiao cast a backward glance at his bodyguards and said pointedly, "Alone." One bodyguard opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it and clamped it shut, bowing instead.

Accepting Xiao's offered arm, Felina linked hers through his and let herself be led out of the atrium. "You sure about leaving your bodyguards behind?" Felina asked, concerned.

"Quite sure." Xiao replied. "I have you."

Nothing else was said as they both entered the garden's grounds. The kittens still playing nearby noticed Xiao and withdrew to play in a place further away. Spotting a bench, Xiao guided Felina over to it, allowing her to sit down before taking a seat himself.

"I do hope your bodyguards are registered with the Enforcers," Felina commented after a moment's silence. "I don't want you to get in trouble with the law."

A brief look of amusement crossed Xiao's face. "No, I wouldn't want that."

"So how are you? We were separated as soon as we landed."

"Luckily my bullet wound didn't cause much damage, although it did hurt like hell. And my torso is going to be sore for days. You?"

Felina leaned back against the bench. "I've had better days."

"True." Xiao paused, looking thoughtful. "I, uh, never thanked you properly for saving my life."

"Part of the job."

"I doubt your job extends to when you're off duty. Especially on our date."

Felina laughed lightly, feeling her mood improve. "You'd be surprised."

"Nonetheless, I'd like to make it up to you."

"You don't have to..."

"I insist. Besides..." Xiao softly placed a paw against Felina's face, gently cupping her bruised cheek. "Don't you want to know how the evening would have ended?"

In that instance, Felina's conflicting feelings over Xiao and Razor overwhelmed her survivor's guilt. Just how did she get herself into this position?

It was only a mere week ago she was grumbling about being pulled from Gunny's arms to work a seemingly simple robbery case in Siamesetown...


	2. An Indigo Evening

Hello everyone! Long time no see! Time for a new chapter!

As Felina is reluctantly pulled from Razor's arms, a new and unknown threat lurks in the shadows.

Author's note: Sorry for the delay everyone. I got stuck trying to explain everything is this chapter. And I was having fun with the Blind Date, too.

This story now talks about the events leading to how Felina got her bruise.

Korats are mentioned in this chapter. Remember Xiao talked about how they almost gained control of Mr. Young's business? Korats are a Thai breed, with grey fur and green eyes. In this story, they make Khao Manee City their home.

Thanks for everyone's reviews and your patience with me. I hope you all enjoy!

Thanks again,

AkaneKitty

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The Great Escape

An Indigo Evening

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_One week earlier..._

Razor grunted when something soft pounced on top of him, jarring him out of a wonderfully blissful sleep. Not fully awake, his battle instincts took over as he flipped the offending attacker onto their back and pinned them down with his body weight. A happy yell rewarded his efforts.

"That was fun!"

Blinking, Razor's consciousness finally caught up with his body and he found himself looking into the lovely brown eyes of Lieutenant Felina Feral. She smirked at him.

"Damn it, Lina! Don't do that to me!" Razor hissed, easing his grip on her arms. "I could have hurt you!"

"Well, you didn't, and that's all that matters."

Razor sighed, fully waking up. This was the result of answer a call from Felina: Ending up in her bedroom.

Laughing lightly, Felina reached up to scratch his ears. "Ready for another round?"

"I thought the reason I was called was to go over the personnel records Hackle sent."

"Yeah...But all the names started to run together. You know paperwork is the bane of law enforcement," Felina replied. "Besides, we ran out of beer and Siamese takeout."

"Whose fault is that?"

Felina chuckled. Razor lowered himself to give her a kiss when the unmistakable chirp of Felina's official Enforcer cell phone froze him in place.

Groaning, she cursed, "No, no, no! I'm off duty until tomorrow afternoon!"

Wiggling a bit Felina reached for her phone located on her night stand. Grabbing it, and warning Razor to be quiet, she answered the phone.

"Lieutenant Feral."

"Major York."

As soon as she heard the very polished and sophisticated accent of her superior, Felina bolted upright, sending Razor flying off the bed.

Major Emma York, a petite shorthair from the City State Commonwealth of Saxon, was the major in charge of Enforcer Investigations Division. She handled everything from petty theft to homicide. She also served as Felina's mentor.

"Sorry to disturb your evening. The C3 officer on duty caught a case of that blasted cough that's been going around."

Felina winced when she heard a light chuckle in the major's voice. Nothing could get by the major, so she probably heard Razor falling off the bed. "No problem, ma'am. How can I be of service?"

"I need you to report to headquarters. We have a situation here I think the Commander should be privy to from the start. I also need you to get a Siamese translator from Communications. I'm running into a language barrier with my crime victims."

"Yes ma'am. ETA fifteen minutes." Felina glanced at the clock on her nightstand and remembered their break room was in the process of being disinfected. "Make it twenty minutes. I'll get coffee."

"You're a doll, Ducky," York said. "See you soon."

Felina signed off. "Gunny. I'm going to..."

"...Head into work, I know." His voice came from somewhere other than the floor in her bedroom.

"Where are you?" She demanded, searching with her eyes as she began to get off the bed.

"At the window. I'll see you later," he told her, a smirk in his voice. "Don't work too hard."

"Now wait just a damn-" Felina started, but soon heard the window in the living room slide close. She sighed in resignation.

There went her evening.

_Enforcer Headquarters  
><em>

Crud! This was supposed to be my evening off!

Felina stepped from the elevator which led to the major's suite of offices. In one paw, she held a Styrofoam carrier which contained two large cups of coffee and, in the other, she clutched her C3 briefcase.

Nice timing, Felina thought, stifling a yawn. Nice damn timing.

Pouting a little, she thought about Razor. The tom had the audacity to leave without a kiss or saying goodbye properly. Hmph! She'll get him for that.

She made her way down the hall toward Major York's office. The major was one of Feral's few bright spots during the reign of the super-villains. Her ninety percent solved case record was an achievement few city states could match due to her demanding excellence from those under her command. As such, Feral appointed her to be his second in command when he was unavailable but only in emergency situations. She also served as Felina's advisor.

Reaching the major's door, Felina was about to shift the container to the crook of her elbow in order to knock when she heard York's accented voice come through the slightly open door. Noting the undercurrent of frustration in the major's voice, she realized York must be speaking to Major Callahan, who was in charge of ground defense. For some reason, York and Callahan never seemed to get along.

After knocking on the door and receiving an affirmative, Felina entered York's office. As the major had the most seniority compared to others of her rank, she had the largest office. It was light and airy, with enough plants to start a garden. It also had large bay windows and her walls were adorned with pictures and achievements.

The major herself was sitting at her rather large desk, phone attached to one ear. A petite she-kat slightly shorter than the Deputy Mayor, the desk seemed to overwhelm her. And while she had regal looks and delicate movements, she was never mistaken for a helpless female. All knew her as a strong officer who took no shit from anyone.

At the moment, a look of consternation was on the she-kat's fawn colored face which all but confirmed she was talking to Callahan. Felina also noticed that York's long reddish brown hair, normally in a thick braid down the center of her head, was loose and spilled over her shoulders.

"Look Callahan...all I'm asking for is that a Be On the Look Out notice for a group of muscular looking Korat tomkats be given to patrol." York listened for a few minutes, then sighed. "This is not profiling! If you attended my seminars, you would know that!"

Felina stifled a grin. As she still considered herself a part of air defense, it felt good to hear ground defense get a tongue lashing.

"If you make me lose the only lead in this case due to your refusal to follow protocol I'll...well, somebody has their knickers in a twist this evening! This is about that bet you lost, isn't it?"

Felina glanced away to studiously stare at some of the things on York's walls, fighting the urge to laugh. Callahan bet that York wouldn't be able to take him down in five moves. She did it in two.

"All I'm asking for is a BOLO, Callahan. If you continue to impede my investigation, I will be forced to take this up with the Commander. You know how he feels about infighting between departments. And guess who has the most seniority?"

Silence filled York's office. The major always had a trump card up her uniform sleeve.

"...You still feel like the BOLO is profiling? Fine. How about a BOLO for three or four grey tomkats ranging from 5'8 to 6'0 tall. Green eyes, muscular build. Last spotted in Siamesetown. Identify as Korats. Thanks!"

Resisting the urge to slam down the phone, York took great care to place it back in its cradle. Finally noticing Felina, she motioned for the she-kat to take a seat.

"I apologize for letting you see such an unprofessional display," York stated, her accent tinged, voice dripping with irritation. "But then again, no I don't. Everyone on the force knows Callahan and I do not get along."

Avoiding the landmine of a statement, Felina pulled a coffee cup out of the container. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please. Thank you Ducky." York gratefully accepted the cup. "I needed a boost, but there was no way I was going to step into the break rooms until they are disinfected. I can't afford to get sick."

"It is a very nasty bug." Felina replied, retrieving her own cup coffee.

"So...I hope I wasn't interrupting anything fun when I called earlier."

Felina winced. Next time she answered a call from HQ, she needed to make sure Razor was completely out of the room. "No ma'am. He was just leaving."

York smiled, taking a sip of coffee. "Nice to have toms who understand our line of work."

"True." After taking a big sip of coffee, Felina placed the cup beside her feet. "How may I be of service, ma'am?"

"I have a series of strong arm and armed robberies happening in Siamesetown which I feel is connected to something bigger. I need you to start a line of communication with the Commander, funneling all the information I'm about to give you to him. This is something he might have to run by the Mao City Consulate."

Felina retrieved a pen and notepad from her briefcase. "Go ahead ma'am."

"About two weeks ago, I noticed an upswing in robberies in Siamesetown. Some were armed, others strong armed. All were focused on small mom and pop businesses like noodle shops." York paused to take another sip of coffee. "The suspects were the same, a group of three or four muscular looking Korats. They are very organized. They go in, take what they want, and get out before we have time to respond."

"Sounds like it would only be a matter of time before they made a mistake and we got them."

"True...but something is bothering me."

"Oh?"

York leaned back in her chair. "Why the mom and pop stores? They usually don't carry large amounts of money and there are other high value shops in the area."

"Maybe these shops have something these criminals want," Felina mused aloud. York grinned.

"Just what I was thinking Lieutenant. And guess what type of criminal activity uses these types of stores?"

Felina smiled to herself. "Organized crime."

"Correct. And Mao City's biggest problem is organized crime."

"And the Korats figured out these shops are fronting money for them."

"Possibly figured out they were laundering money too."

Felina wrote on her notepad. "So I guess the next step is to figure out what store the Korats will hit next."

"Which is why the Commander needs to be informed so he can lean on the Mao City Consulate. Hopefully, they will allow the Corsairs to exchange information with us." York finished her coffee. "In the meantime, I work on the Siamese crime victims. Did you find a translator?"

"Lieutenant Chen, ironically from our Enforcer/Corsair exchange program, is available. A bit tired though."

"Poor Chen. He was working Siamesetown Fair all day. I need to put a commendation in his record." York sighed. "But this is all for now."

Felina put her notepad away into her briefcase and stood up. "I'll get started with the logistics right away ma'am."

"Hold it Lieutenant."

Felina froze and York rose gracefully from her seat. "I seem to recall that we are overdue for a chat. As your advisor, I request you join me for tea by the end of the week."

York regularly maintained a tea time in the afternoon. Barring any emergencies or casework popping up, she was always available to chat. As she couldn't talk about everything with her uncle, she used York to decompress. As an added bonus, York wouldn't talk about those chats with her uncle unless it affected her job or the Enforcers as a whole.

"Is this an order ma'am or a royal decree?" Felina smiled. "I mean, you are the twentieth kat in line for the Saxton throne aren't you?"

York rolled her eyes. The City State Commonwealth of Saxton was ruled by a monarchy, and York was a part of the royal family. As she seemed to move up the list of heir prospective every year, Feral joked he would start worrying about once she made the single digits.

"Ducky, if this was a royal decree you would be receiving a personal engraved invitation from Her Royal Highness Emma York of Daventry. I would use my best china and we'd discuss polo matches." York said haughtily before dropping the affectation to smirk. "Which is a lot more boring than enjoying tea, some biscuits, and chatting about your latest tom."

"Okay, Okay." Felina shifted her briefcase to her other paw and saluted. "I'll stop by for tea ma'am."

"Good." York saluted back and sat back down. "Carry on Lieutenant."

_Khao Manee City_

The imposing figure of a grey tomkat stood on the wharf wrapped in a thick, black trench coat. The coat did little to ward off the chill coming from the sea, but the kat didn't seem to mind.

Piercing green eyes watched choppy waves, noting the strong undercurrents. Anything sunk here would be pulled toward the beaches of Mao City, Khao Manee City's rather volatile neighbor. In fact, he had disposed of more than a few bodies here.

The click of high heels against the wooden planks of the wharf reached his ears. He slipped a paw into his trench coat, reaching for his silenced gun. He'd been expecting company but one couldn't be too careful. His description topped most wanted lists all over the world and he had numerous enemies who wanted him dead. Par for the course in his chosen profession.

Steps coming closer, he pulled his weapon from his coat, disengaged the safety, and extended his arm. His gun's muzzle stopped within inches of a pert black nose. Soft green eyes glanced down at the gun without fear and looked up.

"Mr. Indigo."

"Ms. White."

Indigo quickly lowered his weapon, engaged the safety, and holstered it while White walked to his side, clutching a portfolio. Indigo was his code name among Khao Manee Intelligence, known as the Si-Sawat, as his real name was lost ages ago. A highly trained operative and assassin, he protected Khao Manee interests at home and abroad.

He waited as Ms. White put down her portfolio and pulled out a cigarette, obviously in no hurry. She was dressed in a sharp business suit covered by a wool jacket. The slender she-kat had all the features all Korats valued, flawless grey fur and soft green eyes, except hers were sharp and distinctive. She almost stood out too much as his handler, but looks were an important asset in their line of work.

White lit her cigarette from a lighter pulled from her jacket. Taking a puff, she exhaled it before turning her attention to him.

"The Honorable First Family has tasked you with an important mission."

"Long may they rule," Indigo said without thought. It was a phrase said by all Korats loyal to the First Family.

Nodding, White reached down, opened her portfolio, and took out a slim folder. Standing up, she passed the folder to him. "Some high value targets were spotted in Megakat City by one of our intelligence agents imbedded there. They are Korat Resistance Movement leaders."

Indigo began looking through the folder's contents. Familiar faces and information stood out. "The KRM have infiltrated other cities?"

"We thought we had them restricted to Mao City. But since the Siamese have begun immigrating to other cities, they have followed." White took another puff of her cigarette. "The First Family has authorized you to eliminate them."

"Quietly?"

"Violently. A message must be sent to the rest of the Movement. Their actions against other cities have impacted Khao Manee City's diplomatic alliances... " White exhaled. "...And as you know, the First Family does not take kill orders against their own lightly."

Indigo nodded. "Of course."

"Your secondary mission is to prevent whatever the KRM is plotting. We don't know much, but if it's anything like what they do in Mao City, the consequences will be dire." White said. "And if this happens while the First Family is negotiating to reopen their embassy in Megakat City..."

"...Then they will be eliminated."

"By the way...," White passed Indigo another folder, "Our agents have put a name to the operative that hindered our plot against the Russian Blue Mafia. They will be in Megakat City."

Indigo opened the folder. A she-kat in a distinctive uniform stared back at him. The information in the file was blacked out, but he would never forget the face which caused his first, and only, mission failure.

"Misha?" Indigo blinked. "No, her code name was Echo."

"You are authorized to do whatever you want with her." White dropped her spent cigarette to the ground. She then stared at Indigo. "Will she be a problem?"

Indigo stated at the photo for long moments before closing the folder and flinging it into the sea.

"No."


	3. Bittersweet

Hello everyone! One last chapter (for now) before NaNoWriMo! I call this Bittersweet.

Felina's rather routine inquiry dredges up an ugly...and painful...past.

Author's notes: Thanks for the review! I'm glad people like the story thus far. Would have probably had a chapter up sooner, but a death in my family drained my creativity.

As the first sentence says this is going the last from me until NaNoWriMo is finished in a month, Time to work on some original fiction.

Thanks to ulyferal for get this back to me quickly.

Special thanks to Brandon (brownxps) for sending a really nice letter when I needed it.

Enjoy!

AkaneKitty

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The Great Escape

Bittersweet

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"Sergeant, when are you going to retire?"

"When the Commander doesn't need me anymore!" Came the rather surly reply.

In Enforcer HQ's maintenance bay, Felina laughed as she watched Sergeant Dusty Allen, an elderly paunchy grey tom, work on a supply carrier. In place of the standard uniform, he wore coveralls marred with splotches of grease and oil.

She was glad she was back on the air defense rotation, running logistics and finding out what was needed before reporting back to the Commander and the majors. She had worked with Major York all night trying to break open the Siamesetown robberies case but hit a brick wall. The victims wouldn't say anything, either out of fear of reprisal or fear of outing illegal activities. And Lieutenant Chen couldn't make any headway with the victims either. Felina sighed. It was going to be one of those cases.

Felina glanced around the bay. She didn't realize how much she missed being on the tarmac. The open air, the exhaust from the various flyers...made her wish she was back in her helicopter. Hopefully, one day soon, she would be.

Mumblings and curses broke Felina out of her reverie, forcing her to look back at Allen. Sergeant Allen was an Oldtimer, an affectionate term for those on the force who had service time equal to or past the Commander's. In the Enforcers, seniority was just as important as your rank.

In Allen's case, his service time surpassed the Commander's and he headed up a team of mechanics that serviced all vehicles pertaining to air defense. He could fix pretty much anything, and if he couldn't it was beyond repair. A stickler for detail, no smart officer wanted to risk his wrath by missing scheduled routine maintenance.

"Damn rust trap!" Allen roared, throwing down his wrench in disgust.

"Can't fix it?"

"No. The stabilizer's shot." Allen sighed, pulling a rag out of his pocket to wipe his paws. "And I can't risk another supply carrier to go down when two of them are already in the bay for repairs."

Felina looked up at the beast of a machine, which was used to supply various Enforcer posts in the numerous city districts. "I suppose you can't get a replacement part."

"For this old thing?" Allen laughed. "They discontinued this model years ago. The Commander couldn't upgrade because most of the budget went to upgrading our weapon and defense systems. And why replace the carriers if they worked properly? They're just not as important."

"I see."

"But," Allen looked thoughtful, "You might be able to find a stabilizer at the Megakat City Salvage Yard run by ex-Enforcers, Furlong and Clawson."

"Furlong? Clawson?" Felina blinked. "Who are they?"

"They were before your time. Chance Furlong and Jake Clawson were one of the best fighter jet teams the Enforcers ever had. Furlong could fly anything with one paw tied behind his back and Clawson was a genius with weapons systems."

"...But you said they were the best."

Allen sighed. "Yep. And too hotheaded. The Commander had trouble reining them in at times. Finally he booted them off the force then made them work in the salvage yard as punishment for being grossly insubordinate and for disobeying a direct order from the Commander."

Felina frowned. Uncle wasn't the type to kick valuable and expensively trained officers off the force for something like that, but she also knew he had a few buttons that couldn't...and shouldn't...be pushed. "It must have been bad."

Allen suddenly looked uncomfortable and resumed tinkering with the carrier again. "It's not my place to say ma'am."

Felina was curious about the abrupt change in Allen's demeanor. She knew the Oldtimers were fiercely loyal to the Enforcers and to the Commander himself, so she must have inadvertently drug up a touchy subject, one worth digging into later. But first, she had a carrier to fix.

"So, you think I'll be able to find a stabilizer part at the salvage yard?"

"It's possible, but I don't want to trouble you, Lieutenant."

"It's no trouble. C3 officers are support personnel and air defense is in my rotation today. Besides...," Felina nodded at a chopper coming in for a landing belching black smoke, "...I think your skills are needed elsewhere."

Snarling, Allen turned around and started bellowing orders to his team while simultaneously reading the young pilot of the helicopter the riot act. Taking a breath, he turned back to Felina and gave her a snappy salute.

"Thanks for the assistance, ma'am. If you manage to see Clawson, please give him my regards. He was one of the few who did his regularly scheduled maintenance without me nagging him."

"Will do." Felina returned the salute. "Carry on, Sergeant."

Turning on her heel, Felina walked away, mentally reviewing her tasks. First, she needed to get directions to the salvage yard. It appalled her that she had been in Megakat City for years and hadn't heard about the place or knew where it was.

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About an hour later Felina passed through the open chain-link fence encircling the salvage yard in a borrowed patrol car. In the backseat was her briefcase containing the specs of the stabilizer the carrier needed. It would do no good if she brought back the wrong part to the maintenance bay.

Felina drummed her claws on the steering wheel. She didn't know what to think about Allen suddenly clamming up about the incident that sent Furlong and Clawson out to the salvage yard. She knew it had a lot to do with loyalty to her uncle, and she would have to be careful if she decided to be nosy. No sense digging up an ugly piece of the past if it was going to disrupt the status quo.

But...why hadn't she heard about the pair until today? Every fighter squadron had stories about great pilots and weapons officers of the past, yet she hadn't heard any stories about them. Very interesting.

The garage finally loomed before her, and Felina shook her head. This was no time to play detective. She had a lot more things on her plate like killer ninja robots and organized crime to worry about before she snooped into the past. Uncovering the mystery of a pair of ex-enforcers would have to wait.

Slowing down, she pulled the patrol car into an empty parking spot and stepped out. Looking around, she noted the two garage doors were closed, but there appeared to be an office door on the side of the building.

Pausing to retrieve her briefcase and hoping the two toms were around and not on a service call, Felina trudged up to the door.

oOo oOo oOo

Sitting in front of his television mindlessly flipping through the channels, Jake contemplated his really bad day. He hated leaving Felina so abruptly last night, but he remembered he had cars in the garage that needed to be fixed. And there were more pressing issues.

First, the computer processing the killer robot's memory chip was mind numbingly slow. It was time to break down and scrounge around for parts to upgrade that beast of a machine. Computer parts coming into the yard were getting scarce so he might have to beg, barter, and deal with some toms he knew to get what he needed. In fact, it might be time to upgrade all his computers.

Secondly, his own friendship with Chance was deteriorating rapidly. He sighed. Ever since their argument, they barely spoke a word to each other, only talking when they needed to when repairing a car. Now Chance had disappeared somewhere. He sighed. He couldn't believe how easy it was for Chance to just stop being a SWAT Kat. Would he have stopped being a SWAT Kat if he was seeing someone as Jake? He doubted it.

It was time to corner that tom and have a real serious discussion about the future of their partnership. And he needed to look into how he could continue being a SWAT Kat by himself, just in case. There was no way he could stop being Razor now, especially since...

A bell rung loudly throughout the garage, alerting Jake that someone was at the door. Immediately he switched the TV to a station which allowed him to view the outside through cameras he'd installed on the perimeter of the garage. He was greeted with static and snow. _The wires to the cameras must have been chewed through by the local vermin population again_, he cursed to himself. _Time to go wireless._

The bell rung again. Jake stood up then reached underneath the table to press a button which locked all access to the hanger until he punched in an all clear code on a hidden console. He didn't want another Metallikat incident nor have someone being nosy stumble upon the hidden base.

Hurrying, Jake walked through the tiny office he and Chance used to do their garage paperwork and the small waiting room to get to the door. Steeling himself against the prospect of dealing with Burke and Murray, he opened the door.

And his heart nearly stopped.

Standing at the door with her paw poised in the air as if she was going to knock was Felina, looking lovely in her dress uniform. Smiling a bit, she lowered her paw and clasped it on top of the paw holding her briefcase.

Jake struggled to keep his knees from buckling, fighting internal panic_. Felina was here! At the garage! Why? How much did she know about me?_

He mentally shook his head. _Settle down, Clawson. Felina is the Master C3 Officer. She could be here to follow up on payments to Feral or seeing about old Enforcer salvage._

But it didn't make him feel any better.

"Hello," she said, straightening a bit, "I hope I'm not coming at a bad time. It looks like you're closed."

"N-No ma'am. We're not closed." Jake held on to the door to steady himself. "It's just been a slow day."

Felina nodded, seemingly accepting the explanation. She narrowed her eyes a bit. "You're...?"

"Jake Clawson, ma'am."

"I'm-"

"Lieutenant Felina Feral."

"...You know who I am?"

"Unless you're living underneath a rock, it's hard not to know about the Commander's niece in this city."

Felina laughed lightly. "True."

Jake found himself enjoying the laugh until he forced himself back into reality. _Focus, Clawson. You're Jake the disgraced weapons officer, not Razor the incredibly suave weapons officer. Time to make a distinct break between the two before she figures something is amiss._

Releasing the door Jake straightened himself, focusing on the bars on Felina's uniform. Maybe it was best he addressed her like an officer addressing their CO. "How can I be of assistance ma'am?"

Felina blinked at the sudden change in Jake's tone but recovered quickly. "A stabilizer on one of our supply carriers gave up the ghost. Sergeant Allen said you might have one since you deal with Enforcer salvage."

"Hmm...I know we have some retired carriers out in the yard, but I don't know if we pulled any stabilizers off of them. I'll have to look it up." Jake stood back away from door. "Please follow me."

Felina stepped through the door and followed Jake through what appeared to be a small waiting room. Eventually they reached the office, where the tom offered her a seat next to the desk. As he took a seat at the desk Jake powered up a computer which maintained a list of salvage coming into the yard.

"So which type of carrier do we need the stabilizer for?" Jake asked, willing the slow computer to finish its startup routines. "Gladiator or Crusader class?"

"That's a good question. Luckily I remembered to do my homework." Felina placed her briefcase on her lap and opened it, riffling through papers. "Um...Crusader class."

"The newer model. We have some retired machines out there but we might not have gotten around to stripping working parts off it." Jake started a program and began clicking some keys. "Give me a moment while I check."

"Sure."

Felina observed the tom in grease smeared overalls as he did his work. This was the brilliant weapons officer Allen was talking about? He didn't seem like it...but who knew what being stripped of your career could do to a tom.

Or maybe she was too used to being around Gunny. He _did_ set the bar high for wizzos.

She spied a glance at the computer screen, expecting typical Enforcer software, but saw a completely different program instead. "That's not Enforcer software, is it?"

"No. Just something I created on my own to make things easier." Jakes said offhandedly.

"Really? That's impressive."

A small smile crossed Jake's face. "Thanks."

As Jake concentrated on the computer Felina found herself observing him again. Every so often he would mutter about how slow the machine was and how it was time for a serious upgrade. Strange...didn't she hear something similar before?

Never taking his eyes off the computer screen Jake asked, "...Is something wrong?"

"Hmm? No, sorry about that. I'm just experiencing a weird case of déjà vu."

"Oh?"

Felina absentmindedly twirled a pen between her claws. "I have a strange feeling I've heard someone else talk about how slow a computer was and...Oops!"

At that moment the pen she was twirling slipped from her paw and started tumbling to the floor. In an instant, Jake caught the pen just before it hit the floor and gave it back to her.

Felina blinked. _He's fast_. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." The computer beeped and Jake returned his attention back to the screen. "Hmm...we did take parts off a Crusader, but unfortunately the parts are in storage and I'll have to dig them out. Do you have time to wait? I'll try to be quick about it."

"I'm in no hurry. It's been a slow unproductive day." Felina stood up, clutching her briefcase. "At least this will give me the chance to catch up on my paperwork."

After he led Felina back to the waiting area Jake stepped out into the salvage yard, heading toward a storage container. Fishing out a small PDA, he patched into the camera feeds which monitored the waiting area. Sure enough Felina was sitting there, apparently tackling some paperwork.

He stared at the screen for long moments, watching Felina do her work. The she-kat he was so in lo...er, cared about was a mere feet away, and he couldn't be with her.

This was reality setting in, he mused to himself. At the end of the day he was just Jake Clawson. Razor was only someone he wished he could be all the time.

There was no way Felina would be interested in him. Razor? Sure. But Jake the disgraced former weapons officer? Not a chance.

And it hurt.

Jake sighed, placing the PDA back into his pocket. He could always drown his sorrows later. Right now, there was a critical part he needed to locate.

oOo oOo oOo

Felina was completing some mind numbing reports in the waiting room when her phone chirped. Pulling it from her coat, and not bothering to read the screen, she answered professionally.

"Lieutenant Feral."

"Felina! I've finally caught up with you!" Callie's cheery voice came through the phone. "I called your office but they said you were out."

"Yeah, just doing my duties as support staff." Felina dropped her pen on her lap and stretched. "Right now I'm working on paperwork while I wait on a part from the salvage yard."

"You're at the salvage yard? Say hi to Jake and Chance for me."

Felina's interest was piqued. "You know them?"

"Yes. They keep my car in top running shape. Which is necessary in this city."

"I'll say. Know anything else about them?"

"Not really. Other than I thought Jake was cute."

Felina grinned. "Better not let Uncle hear you say that."

"He can manage." Callie replied coolly. "Anyway, I was calling to see if you can go out for drinks later this week. I'm finally free of budget duty and I could use some company."

Felina continued to grin and lowered her voice. "Is this an attempt to find out who I'm sleeping with by getting me drunk? Because you know that never works on a Feral."

"Of course it doesn't work. Sex does, which is why it works on Ulysses."

Felina cringed. "Spare me that visual."

"You brought it up." Callie retorted. "And I will figure out who the new tom is in your life in due time. But right now I just want to drink with my friend."

"Okay, okay. I think I have a night shift off soon. I'll give you a call."

"Great! See you later!"

Felina signed off as Jake entered the waiting room, a small box in the crook of his arm. Wandering over to a shelf, he grabbed a clipboard.

"I found the stabilizers and packed three of them for you. But there's more in storage if you need them."

"Thanks." Felina stood up. "The Deputy Mayor says hello."

"Really? Her car's due for a tune up."

"I'll be sure to tell her."

As Felina gathered her things, Jake tried to be inconspicuous while observing her as he filled out his own paperwork. He wasn't sure which of the different looks of Felina was his favorite, having seen her in and out of various stages of dress. But in her dress uniform she looked very sophisticated. And it suited her rank.

But then again, Fresh from a Firefight Felina would always be his favorite.

Not taking her eyes off her briefcase, Felina calmly said, "I think you can stop staring at my legs now."

Jake winced. So much for being inconspicuous. "Well ma'am, they weren't the only things I was staring at. But they are nice."

"Is that so?" Such surprising honesty forced Felina to look at Jake, who resumed writing on his clipboard. She smirked. "Since you're being honest, I'll let you get away with that comment."

"Really? Must be my lucky day."

Felina chuckled, finally finished repacking her briefcase. There was an undercurrent of a smart ass behind the polite facade which reminded her of another special tom.

"You know...you remind me of another tom who just happens to be a smart ass."

"Oh? I take it he made a good impression like I did?"

Felina looked wistful for second, color spotting her cheeks before resuming a more professional air.

"Yeah, he did."

No longer feeling sorry for himself, Jake handed Felina the box, along with a form. "I filled out a requisitions form for you. Don't think you want to get in trouble by not filing the proper paperwork."

"True. Though it makes me wish for the day we go fully electronic." Juggling the box to the crook of her arm, Felina grabbed her briefcase. "Thanks Jake."

"No problem."

Jake escorted Felina to her squad car, and made sure she was well on her way out of the yard before returning to the garage and on into the office. It was time to compete some neglected paperwork.

Work hard. Play harder.

And time with Felina as Razor made his days as Jake bearable.


	4. It's Just Lunch

Hello everyone! It's finally new chapter time!

An impromptu meeting with Megakat City's new ADA makes Felina Xiao Ling's lunch date.

Author's note: Wow! It's been awhile hasn't it? Thanks for being patient with me regarding this story. I was stuck on how to handle an interaction between a certain pair of characters. Plus, I was enjoying writing the Blind Date.

Please kick me when updates don't happen for a long time. I'm serious.

After reading this chapter, what is everyone's opinion of Xiao Ling?

The plot really picks up after this chapter, so hopefully updates won't take as long as before.

As always, I enjoy reviews and critiques.

Thanks for reading!

AkaneKitty

oOo oOo oOo oOo

The Great Escape:

It's Just Lunch

oOo oOo oOo oOo

_Office of Assistant District Attorney Naomi Ling_

"Thank you so much for helping out with these depositions Lieutenant. I know it's your day off."

"No problem." Felina said, taking the time stretch in her chair. "Things happen."

Earlier in the day Felina was looking forward to her day off, planning to finally being able to hit the gym and maybe reconnect with Callie over lunch. The brick wall she and Major York ran into regarding the Siamese robbery victims was still giving her a headache and she needed a break to recharge.

But a rather frantic phone call from the new ADA changed everything. Being the Master C3 officer meant she had to be available to the District Attorney's office as well and often provided them with information along with York's department. She couldn't really brush Naomi off, or risk relations between the Enforcers and the DA souring.

So now she sat in a plush office chair opposite of Naomi, who had a notepad in paw and wrote furiously. Felina noted the younger sister of junior assistant Xiao Ling looked quite different from their first meeting at a previous formal affair. Then she was soft, quiet, and delicate. Now she was bold, determined, and demanded attention.

The ADA wore a sharp black and fitted suit with her hair pulled into twist, a striking opposite to what she wore to the dinner a few months ago. Felina herself was not wearing her uniform, but a dark grey sleeves suit dress she kept on paw for such situations. Dress uniforms weren't required when giving depositions, but one still needed to respect the court.

"The defense went for a speedy trial in this case, and being new I didn't have time to prepare." Apparently finished Naomi let out a breath, flipping her notepad closed. "Now I'll be able to file these at the courthouse with time to spare..." She stood and began to walk when she suddenly sagged, losing her grip on her notepad and barely able to reach out and grasp the edge of her desk. Felina immediately got up and walked over to her, throwing Naomi's arm over her shoulders for support.

"This is so embarrassing!" Naomi spat out.

As she helped Naomi walk around her desk Felina felt the attorney vibrate with anger, and suddenly she felt she was a teenager again. She felt those vibrations of anger from her mother as she helped her get in and out of bed, as advanced feline leukemia was gradually robbing her of her strength.

Snapping back into reality Felina helped Naomi sit down in her desk chair. Naomi gave her a rueful smile.

"Thank you. I'm sorry you had to see that."

Felina gently smiled. "Try eating more fatty fish. The oils should help your immune system."

Naomi widened her eyes. "You knew?"

"I've been in a similar position before."

"Ah. I'm in remission for feline leukemia, but I drink a tincture made from Siamese medicine for it every day." Naomi made a face. "It tastes like shit."

Felina chuckled. Naomi's office phone began to ring, and she hastily picked it up.

"ADA Ling...Oh, hello Xiao." Naomi smiled, listening for a moment. "I'm in the middle of preparing depositions...No I am not working myself too hard!"

Felina chuckled to herself. It seemed like this was an old argument between siblings.

"I don't think I'll be able to make our lunch date. I have too much work right now...Wait a minute." Naomi covered the ear piece of the phone with her paw and looked over to Felina. "Do you mind having lunch with Xiao in my place?"

"Me?"

"Consider it thanks for coming in and helping me." Naomi smiled. "It's at the Paper Lantern. They have great dumplings."

"Well..." Felina had a feeling she was being set up but the mention of dumplings and the fact she hadn't eating anything besides dry toast this morning made her waver and her stomach rumble. "...Why not. I'm starving."

"Great!" Naomi brought the phone up to her face. "Great news, brother: I got Lieutenant Felina Feral to go in my place."

Naomi listened for a moment, and then launched into what Felina perceived to be scathing Siamese. What Felina would give to understand Siamese.

"Xiao is sending his limo over for you." Naomi said, suddenly the angelic version of herself again. "Have fun!"

oOo oOo oOo oOo

An half an hour and a comfy limo ride later Felina found herself sitting in the Paper Lantern, an exclusive Siamese food restaurant in the heart of Siamesetown. She placed in a reserved section of the restaurant, screened off from everyone else, but she still took the time to sit facing the rice paper lined door out of force of habit.

The Paper Lantern was composed of individual rooms outfitted with tables to maintain the privacy of their guests. Felina's own room had a great view of their koi pond courtyard. Different, but unique.

Picking up her menu from the table she flipped through it until she found what she wanted to order: Shrimp dumplings. Felina wanted to kick herself. She let hunger and desire for some dumpling overrule the obvious fact she was being set up by Naomi. But a small part of her _did_ want to know a little more about Xiao Ling.

Besides, it was just lunch.

The door slid open and Xiao stepped through, wearing an impeccably tailored and obviously expensive black three piece suit. Felina noted with interest how the maître d and the various servers and waiters tripped over themselves to bow and clear a path for him. Xiao responded demurely to them, not being egotistical or snooty as she'd seen with other toms in power. And like when she first met him, power rolled off the tom. It was all very intriguing and very sexy. And it stirred something within herself that she had to squelch down. When he finally noticed Felina, his blues eyes lit up for a brief moment before returning to a reserved state.

"Lieutenant Feral, I thank you for joining me for lunch." Walking over to the table Xiao reached over, grasped Felina's paw in his, and kissed it before taking his seat. "Though I'm sure my dear sister goaded you into it."

"Felina, please." Felina smiled at him. "It didn't take much goading. Naomi convinced me with visions of dumplings."

"I see. Which would you like?"

"Shrimp."

Xiao glanced back at a lone waiter still in the room and said something in Siamese. The waiter immediately started bowing and left in a hurry. Felina titled her head.

"You know, Xiao..."

"Hmm?"

"Are you just a junior associate to Mr. Young?"

Xiao turned his gaze toward Felina, with a hint of amusement behind it. "What makes you say that?"

"I've been around a lot of powerful toms and I've never seen those types of reactions like from the waiters before."

"Ah." Xiao looked a bit mischievous. "Well, to be honest, I'm not just a junior associate. I am the owner of Ling Investments, and I deal with a lot of businesses. Here in Megakat City, I'm opening a hotel and a club, with more opportunities to come."

"Really?"

"As for Siamese reactions to me, it could come from my lineage." Xiao continued. "My ancestor was Empress Ling, the first of the ancient royal family to unite a fractured Mao City under one rule. It carries a lot of weight."

"Aww. And here I thought you were in organized crime." Felina ran her claw along the edge of her teacup. "I'm almost disappointed."

Flicking an ear Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly. "Would it mean I'm placed in your handcuffs?"

Felina smirked. "Have you been naughty?"

"I can be," Xiao's voice was very smooth, "if you want me to."

The air in the small room suddenly electrified, and was broken only when a waiter entered the room with a tea pot. Felina immediately busied herself with placing her napkin on her lap. _Stop it Felina_, she admonished herself. _You're already messing around with Gunny. And Xiao is the type of tom you don't usually go for, remember?_

Feeling a bit guilty Felina spied a glance at Xiao, who was pouring tea into her teacup. _But why am I so attracted to him?_

"So, umm..." Clearing his throat, Xiao poured tea into his own cup, "How was my sister? I try to warn her not to overwork herself but she has a good stubborn streak."

Felina noted Xiao was trying to dispel the awkward and slightly embarrassing tension in the room and pounced on it. "She's fine. She did mention she was going to try and add fatty fish to her diet though."

Xiao flicked his ear again. "Naomi wants to do so much, but her body won't let her. Of course, I try to keep her from doing too much, hence our constant arguments."

Felina smiled. "Sounds like something a caring brother would say."

"You think so?"

"Mmm, hmm."

Xiao focused his attention on his teacup. "_Ai wu ji wu_."

"Pardon?"

"Oh! Sorry. It's an old Siamese saying." Xiao looked slightly embarrassed. "It means 'Love cannot be partial."

As they paused their conversation to sip their tea, Felina mulled over Xiao's words. _Old Siamese saying, hmm? I wonder how it relates within the Siamese culture..._

Felina was suddenly struck with a bolt of inspiration. That's it! Maybe the Enforcers were approaching these robberies the wrong way? In Ailuros, the coastal city-state she and her Uncle were from, the katizens treated pirates differently than they would in Megakat City. Maybe it was the same thing?

Xiao looked at Felina over his teacup. "Something on your mind?"

"Hmm? Oh, I was just thinking about a problem the Enforcers have been having." Placing her teacup down on the table, she leaned forward a bit. "And I think you might be able to help. Unofficially that is."

"I'm always happy to help an officer of the law."

Felina grinned. "Here in Siamesetown, there have been some robberies among the mom and pop stores. It's baffling, since there are other valuable and lucrative targets nearby, but those are left untouched."

Xiao, placing his own teacup on the table, straightened in his seat. "Mom and pop stores, you say?"

"Yes. These stores don't have a lot of money, so why target them? And to further complicate things, the owners are refusing to cooperate with the Enforcers. With no complaints or cooperation from the victims, the cases stall."

Xiao's face darkened for a fleeting moment. "_Yǐ yá huán yá_..." Noticing Felina was waiting for a translation he nodded at her. "Um...The old ways of the Siamese. Remember when I said Mao City was fractured before my ancestor united it?"

"Mmm,hmm."

"During that time, there was always the constant threat of violence from other fractured pieces of Mao City. Katizens would pay others to defend them from these threats."

Felina tilted her head. "...Like protection money?"

"More or less." Xiao shrugged. "To tie everything back together, maybe the owners of these stores are paying protection money to someone. If so, they expect their money to be used to protect them."

Felina mulled this over. "I see..."

"Protection money usually goes to organized crime, so you may have this element here in Megakat City due to the large amount of Siamese immigrants. If criminals know about this it makes the owners easy targets, as they know the shop owners won't involve the law. I believe the Corsairs still have this problem."

Feeling a heavy burden leave her shoulders Felina's eyes lit up. "Xiao, I could kiss you!" But as soon she said it she blushed, slightly embarrassed. Xiao chuckled.

"As much as I would like it, I'll settle for lunch." Xiao said as a waiter entered the room with a platter of dumplings. "Maybe even another lunch date if you don't mind."

As Xiao platted their dumplings Felina found she couldn't say no to the tom who possibly broke open a very frustrating case. Picking up her chopsticks, she snared a dumpling.

Besides, it was just lunch.


End file.
